


The Point of No Return

by Raina921



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! GX
Genre: Drama & Romance, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-26
Updated: 2020-07-17
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:40:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21568546
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Raina921/pseuds/Raina921
Summary: "We're afraid that if you leave now, you'll never come back..." What if there was more truth to the words of Asuka's friends during the scene before Edo's duel against Judai than they realized? One simple change of decision alters Asuka's life more than she ever imagined it would. When Saio predicts this shift in destiny, Edo follows his prediction in the easiest way they know how to: Pretending to be in love with Asuka Tenjoin and gaining her affection. However, he just might not feel the need to pretend forever...Rareshipping. Please read and comment if you can!
Relationships: Edo Phoenix/Asuka Tenjoin
Comments: 4
Kudos: 1





	1. Chapter 1

Asuka watched intently as the work crew made their final checks on the dueling arena’s equipment. It was almost time for Judai’s duel with Edo Phoenix, the professional duelist who had issued a challenge to him live on television just yesterday. As usual, Judai was excited to duel a new opponent, but this was one time that Asuka wondered if things might not go so easily for him. While she did not really know much about Edo himself, Asuka had heard enough about his dueling career in the pro leagues to know that he was an extremely skilled duelist. Edo had even defeated their school’s top undefeated student, Ryo Marufuji.

“Look! There he is! Edo is so hot!” Momoe and Junko squealed excitedly as Edo entered the dueling arena, pausing to give a brief wave to them.

Asuka had to suppress the urge to roll her eyes. Since Edo had made the condition that no one but Judai’s friends would be allowed to watch their duel, Asuka had initially thought that the spectators would be limited to Judai’s usual group of friends: Sho, Manjome, Misawa, Kenzan, and herself. However, when she told Momoe and Junko about the duel, they had begged her to let them come along. Asuka couldn’t help regretting her decision now. Momoe and Junko were total fangirls of any good-looking male duelist, and it looked like they had made it a personal point to show that they were on Team Edo Phoenix by sitting on the other side of the spectator seats, far away from her and Judai’s other friends.

“I don’t believe them! Well, actually, I do. But still! I’m going over there to talk some sense into them and bring them back to us!” Asuka said resolutely as she got up from her seat and started to leave.

Kenzan and Sho held out their arms in front of Asuka, barring her way. Startled, she paused for a moment.

“If you go, I’m afraid that you will never come back.” Sho said with mock seriousness in his expression.

Asuka was exasperated. What was Sho afraid of? That she would turn into another one of Edo’s starry-eyed fangirls? It was beyond ridiculous.

“Don’t be silly! Of course I’ll come back! And I’m still going to root for Judai. I just want to try to have all of us together right now.” Asuka scolded Sho. Without another word, she left towards the other side of the arena.

“Tenjoin-kun, come back…” Manjome said helplessly as he watched his crush leave.

“What a traitor, don. Guess the girls can’t help it when it comes to that saurus. I just hope that this isn’t the point of no return for Asuka-sempai.” Kenzan scoffed as he pointed at Edo.

Xxx

“Momoe! Junko! What are you doing all the way over here!? I brought you guys here so that we could all cheer for Judai!” Asuka said exasperatedly.

“What’s the big deal about where we sit? Just because we’re here doesn’t mean that we want Judai to lose. And besides, Edo doesn’t have anyone else to cheer for him since you guys are all over there. How is that fair to him?” Junko said indignantly.

“Oh, I’m sure that he would have plenty of people willing to cheer for him if this was a regular duel.” Asuka said wryly.

“Come on, Asuka! It won’t kill you to sit with us! I mean, just look at him! Isn’t he to die for!?” Momoe gushed excitedly as she gazed at Edo.

Asuka sighed in defeat. “Alright, I’ll stay. But this doesn’t mean that I’m not cheering for Judai.” She said firmly.

Xxx

As the duel progressed, Asuka couldn’t help admitting to herself that Edo did possess a presence of his own when it came to dueling. The complete confidence in himself, the way he subtly taunted his opponents; it was as if everything was planned completely to the letter about five steps in advance. She remembered that it had been the same during his duel with Ryo. There was something mesmerizing about Edo’s dueling style.

It was around the end of the duel when things started to become strange. Infuriated by Judai’s carefree attitude, Edo had gone into a long rant about the HERO cards were more than just cool-looking cards to him, and that he had become a professional duelist to search for his father’s killer. Asuka couldn’t help feeling a bit stunned by Edo’s story. She knew that all true duelists had their reasons for dueling, but this was more extreme than anything else she had ever seen before. It must be what gave him his drive to win. No, not just to win, but to be the very best that he could be.

 _I wish that I could have that much spirit when it comes to dueling…_ Asuka thought to herself.

Xxx

After the duel had ended in Judai’s defeat, everyone was in shock at his reaction. He had collapsed in shock, dazed by something that only he seemed to be able to see. But what had made Asuka angry was Edo’s reaction to everything. He had simply sneered at Judai and turned his back on him after saying, “Disappear, weakling.” Asuka wanted to kick herself for ever admiring this guy. What had happened to him when he was a child was sad, but that didn’t mean that he had to be such a jerk to his opponents. Would it have killed Edo to say something like, “Congratulations.”, or “That was a good game.” She decided that she was going to say something about it to him. One thing was for sure, Judai hadn’t deserved that.

Xxx

Asuka made her way quickly through the school’s hallway after Edo, knowing that she would need to hurry before any reporters or other media caught up to him. After finally spotting him next to the exit, she strode purposefully in front of the doorway, blocking the exit.

“Wait.” Asuka said firmly to Edo. She was trying to sound in control, but the truth was that her heart felt like it was beating a million miles an hour with the nervousness that came with confronting him like this.

Edo raised his eyebrows in slight surprise. “Can I help you?” He asked curiously. It was as if he sensed that Asuka had not come here for the idle pleasure that most girls got from being anywhere near him.

“Look… I know that this is just a simple little school compared to the world out there where the real challenges that students like me will eventually have to face in duels are. But that doesn’t mean that you have to look down on us for it. Judai and Ryo are my friends and they are still good duelists who have been a symbol of hope for all of us who dream of reaching greater heights someday. That’s all I wanted to say.” Asuka explained carefully. She was trying to state her point calmly while not getting angry.

“It’s good that you are not naïve enough to believe that your little Duel Academia is not the center of the world like those two do. But don’t try to make me into some kind of bad guy just because I’m not willing to aid anyone in protecting their precious egos whenever I defeat them. Dueling is serious for me. Not some game or ridiculous aspiration that I need to invent for myself.” Edo replied coldly.

Asuka was appalled. She didn’t know exactly what she had been expecting Edo to say, but this was beyond rude.

“Fine. Then I hope that you enjoy being alone. Because that is what you will always be as long as you see life with that attitude.” Asuka said simply, as if she was stating a fact and nothing more.

To her surprise, Edo smiled at her in amusement. “Believe me, I’m already there.” He said wryly. He then turned away and walked through the front door without another word, leaving Asuka even more surprised than before.

 _What is wrong with him!? Oh, who cares!? He’s gone now and I hope that he doesn’t come back again!_ Asuka thought to herself in irritation. Little did she know just how wrong she was…


	2. Chapter 2

It had been weeks since Judai’s loss to Edo. During that short time, so many changes had already taken place: Judai had left the island and no one had heard from him since; word of Ryo’s stunning comeback in the pro leagues and his disturbing new image as “Hell Kaiser” had reached the students; Manjome was going on endlessly about a new order in some “Society of Light” like someone who had been brainwashed by a cult, and to make matters worse, Acting-Headmaster Chronos his assistant, Bonaparte, were doing whatever they could to ensure the destruction of the Osiris Red Dorm. It was the last part that had led Asuka in her present predicament. Chronos and Bonaparte had issued a challenge to a representative of Osiris Red to face another duelist in a match to determine whether or not the dorm would be destroyed. With Judai gone to who-knows-where, Asuka was their best hope for a duelist who could defend the Red dorm.

Now, standing in front of the school with Kenzan and the others, Asuka glared defiantly at Chronos and Bonaparte. It was one thing for the latter, this weird clown who had come out of nowhere, to try to concoct this ridiculous scheme. But Asuka was confused and saddened by Chronos’ willingness to go along with this. He may have been hard on Judai and the other Osiris Red students before, but ultimately, he had cared about all of them and was willing to fight to protect them if needed. At least, that had been the case last year.

“Alright, I’m here! Now where is my opponent!?” Asuka demanded.

“That would be me.” A voice from near the school’s entrance declared.

Asuka was shocked to see Edo Phoenix emerge from the mist. When had he even gotten here!? The last she had heard of him was that he had returned to the pro leagues after his victory against Judai.

_ No! Out of all the people they could have picked, why does it have to be him!? If even Judai and Ryo can’t defeat him, then what hope do I have of winning? We’re going to lose Osiris Red now! It’s all over…  _ Asuka thought to herself miserably.

Mentally cursing at herself for her lack of confidence, Asuka stepped forward. Why was resigning herself to it being over before the duel had even started. No matter how slim her chances were, she knew that she had to try dueling Edo.

“I accept.” Asuka said calmly.

Xxx

A few minutes later, Asuka was standing across from Edo on the other side of the arena while the others sat in the stands and watched. For a moment, she felt an enormous battle aura radiating from Edo. It was almost as if the very air itself crackled with the pressure that came from his focus. Asuka couldn’t help feeling a little overwhelmed. Something important was driving him to do this, and she got the feeling that it was even stronger than her wish to protect her friends from losing their dorm.

“Are you ready?” Asuka challenged Edo.

“Yes. Now, show me your best!” Edo said forcefully.

“DUEL!” Both duelists shouted as they readied their duel disks.

“WAIT!” A familiar voice interrupted them.

Everyone turned around in shock to see the figure that had burst into the arena.

“Judai!” Asuka exclaimed happily, relieved to finally see him back safe and sound.

Xxx

Hours later, Asuka walked out of the school building in a daze, plagued by a mix of different emotions. On the one hand she was glad to see Judai fully recovered and that the Red dorm was safe again thanks to his incredible victory against Edo. She was still a bit surprised over Edo’s loss. But on the other hand, she was angry at herself for her earlier lack of confidence in her own dueling abilities. Just when had she started to doubt herself so much as a duelist? She was ashamed of herself for the relief that she had felt after Judai had been allowed to take her place as Edo’s opponent. She knew that this hadn’t just been because she was afraid of not being able to save the dorm or Edo’s dueling record. It was as if she had lost sight of her own reasons for dueling.

_ I need to get myself out of this rut and start believing in myself again! The old me would have been disappointed that I missed a chance to duel someone as good as Edo Phoenix! I need to recapture that excitement again. And I can start now by asking Edo to finish what we started. No more running away.  _ Asuka decided firmly as she made her way down to the beach in search of Edo’s yacht.

Xxx

Asuka looked around nervously at the spacious yacht that Edo owned. She had no idea if he was around or not and wasn’t exactly sure of what she should do. This was a boat, not a house. Would it be weird to just knock on the door?

While Asuka was still standing there and deliberating what to do, she felt a light tap on her shoulder that practically made her jump ten feet in the air. Giving a small yelp of surprise, she turned around swiftly to see Edo himself standing behind her with an amused grin on his face.

“Back again, are we? I feel like we are falling into a pattern here. What is it this time? Did you come here to scold me for not being polite enough to Judai for your tastes?” Edo asked.

“No. I’m here because, well…we didn’t get to have our duel. And I don’t think that we should forget about it just because everyone decided that Judai had to stand in for me! So, how about it? I say that we finish what we started!” Asuka said determinedly.

Edo looked surprised. “Most people would be happy that they got a reprieve from having to face me. I admire your resolve.” He complimented Asuka.

Asuka couldn’t stop herself from blushing slightly at Edo’s compliment. “So, do you accept or not?” She pressed.

“Very well. I accept your challenge. On one condition, though.” Edo said.

“What’s your condition?” Asuka asked somewhat apprehensively. She hadn’t been prepared for something like this.

Edo walked towards Asuka until he was standing directly in front of her. “Once I win, you’ll start spending time with me every day. And we’ll enjoy it, too.” He said with an alluring smile, his face inches away from hers.

Asuka blanked out for a moment. “Wait. What are you saying here? That you want me to be your…girlfriend!?” She stuttered nervously.

“That’s right.” Edo answered simply.

Asuka was stunned. She had not expected something like this. She had her fair share of male admirers on campus. But they were always the same: some ridiculous boy who would always claim that he loved her more than anything in the world and would follow her around mercilessly, practically salivating in her presence while continually addressing her as “Asuka-sama”. Asuka hated it whenever boys treated her this way. It was as if she were an object to them, not a person. And how could they claim that they loved her when they didn’t even know her? Asuka herself was not even sure of what it meant to love someone in that way. But this was different. Edo Phoenix, a mature and attractive boy who could have just about any girl he wanted, was here right now, simply telling her that he wanted her to be his girlfriend. It didn’t make any sense.

“Just what would that involve?” Asuka asked apprehensively, not willing to agree to a duel on a whim here if Edo had certain conditions for a relationship that he would expect her to meet.

Immediately understanding what Asuka was implying, Edo softened slightly for a moment, attempting to ease her fears. “I wouldn’t push you into doing anything that you don’t want to do. I’m not like that. All I’m really asking is that we spend some time together and get to know each other a bit. And then, I guess we’ll just sort of see if it goes anywhere or not. No pressure.” He explained.

“But why me?” Asuka asked.

“As clichéd as it sounds, it’s because I think that you are interesting. And I could use that right now.” Edo answered. He slowly stroked a few strands of Asuka’s hair, his fingers just barely brushing against her face. 

Asuka froze, her face heating up to what felt like a hundred degrees. She was sure that it was beet red.  _ What is he doing?  _ She thought to herself nervously.

“What if I win?” Asuka asked curiously, finally recovered enough to speak.

“Then you could go back to your friends and pretend that we never had this conversation at all.” Edo replied.

_ I shouldn’t agree to this. It’s too much to take on. But I promised that I wouldn’t run anymore! I can’t let this scare me! I’m going to duel him, and I’ll win!  _ Asuka decided to herself.

“Okay. I’ll agree to your terms. Now, let’s duel!” Asuka said.

“You’re not backing down. That’s good. Don’t worry about my terms. Trust me; you’ll be glad that you lost to me once this is over.” Edo said flirtatiously.

Asuka fumed silently.  _ Just who does he think he is!?  _ She thought to herself exasperatedly.

“Don’t just assume that you are going to win before the duel has even started! Once I’m through with you, you’re going to have to find yourself a girlfriend somewhere else, because I don’t intend to lose!” Asuka vowed.

Edo smiled confidently as he took out his duel disk.  _ Well, I gotta admire her spirit! But I still don’t understand why Saio insisted that I go through with this charade.  _ He thought to himself as he recalled an earlier conversation that he had with his friend.

Flashback:

_ Edo watched the hooded fortuneteller spread out a handful of tarot cards on the table and shuffle them slowly. _

_ “So you’re saying that this girl has become an important part of my destiny in the same manner that Judai Yuki has?” Edo asked Saio carefully. _

_ Saio smiled cryptically as he continued to shuffle the cards. “In a manner of speaking, yes.” He replied. _

_ “But why? She is even less skilled as a duelist than he is. First it was that Ryo guy, then Judai, and now this nobody? I’m tired of dueling all of these losers. What is the point of this?” Edo asked impatiently. _

_ “I have seen that your destiny has taken an unexpected shift ever since Asuka Tenjoin made the choice to observe you more closely during your duel with Judai. It is very rare, but still possible for the future to change like this.” Saio explained. _

_ Edo was stunned. Saio’s predictions were infallible. For a change like this to occur, it must mean that this was important. _

_ “So, can you tell me what is going to happen?” Edo asked carefully. _

_ “After your next duel against Judai, she will seek you out and challenge you to a duel. And after it is over, you must do whatever you can to win her affections. The rest will follow by itself. That is all I have seen.” Saio explained. _

_ “Wait a minute. Are you saying that you want me to…hit on her? Destiny or not, that is not really my style.” Edo said skeptically. _

_ Saio chuckled at Edo’s frustration. “For you, this should be a simple task, Edo. As I understand it, you already have quite a…following.” He said in amusement. _

_ “Not funny.” Edo said in irritation. _

_ “You can try to avoid this by not taking my advice to follow the shortest path. But ultimately, you cannot avoid this destiny, Edo. You know that I speak the truth.” Saio advised. _

_ “Okay, fine. Whatever. I’ll go along with this and try to make this girl think I’m her Prince Charming. I can’t wait to see what a disaster this is going to be.” Edo said sarcastically. _

_ “A wise decision. Of course, I expected no less from you, Edo.” Saio said. _

_ “Alright. I’m off now.” Edo said with a casual wave as he left the room. _

_ Saio picked up one of the cards on the table and gazed at it thoughtfully. “It hasn’t happened yet, but eventually, you will not see this as a “choice”, Edo.” He said to himself with a smile as he looked at “The Lovers” tarot card. _


	3. Chapter 3

Asuka and Edo activated their duel disks as they stood across from each other on the grass near the shoreline where Edo’s yacht was, each of them determined to win.

“DUEL!” Asuka and Edo both shouted simultaneously.

“Well, then. Let’s see if your dueling skills are as strong as your pride. Ladies first!” Edo said with a confident smile.

“Alright, here I go! First, I’ll summon Etoile Cyber  **(1200 Atk. 1600 Def.)** in attack mode! Then, I’ll set one card face down! That ends my turn.” Asuka said.

“My turn! I draw! Now, I summon Destiny HERO Decider  **(1600 Atk. 1000 Def.)** to the field in attack position! Next, I activate my spell, Destiny Draw! I’ll use its effect to send one Destiny HERO from my hand to the cemetery to draw two cards. And now, I attack Etoile Cyber with Decider!” Edo said.

_ Since she left such a weak monster in attack position, that must mean that she wants me to walk into her trap. It is better that I get her to use it up now instead of waiting.  _ Edo reasoned to himself.

“I activate my trap card, Doble Passe! It stops your monster’s attack, but in return, I take direct damage that is equal to my monster’s attack points that were targeted!” Asuka groaned in pain as Doble Passe’s effect damaged her life points.

Edo frowned slightly. “That seems like quite a risky move. Was Etoile Cyber really important enough for you to put yourself at a disadvantage this early in duel?” He asked suspiciously.

“I’m glad that you asked that question! That isn’t Doble Passe’s only effect. It also allows the monster that I used its effect on to directly during my next turn, so you could be in for a rough time if you aren’t careful!” Asuka warned Edo with a smile.

“Thanks for the heads up on that one! Not that I’ll need it, of course! I set three cards face down. And before I end my turn, I activate Destiny HERO Decider’s effect to bring back one HERO monster from the cemetery and add it to my hand. I end my turn.” Edo said.

**Asuka- LP 2800 Edo- LP 4000**

_ Edo is good. Not only was he not afraid to walk into my trap, but he also just gave himself a huge advantage with Destiny Draw while managing to not even feel its drawback thanks to Decider’s effect. This isn’t going to be easy…  _ Asuka thought to herself as she eyed Edo’s three facedown cards warily.

“It’s my turn now! I draw! I activate my spell card, Pot of Greed! It lets me draw two cards. And now, I play my field spell, Ritual Sanctuary!” Asuka exclaimed.

The field around the two duelists changed into the interior of a wedding chapel, complete with stained-glass windows and an altar.

Edo laughed lightly in amusement at the new surroundings. “Easy, there. It’s not like I’m signing up for that once this is over!” He said jokingly.

Asuka couldn’t stop herself from blushing in humiliation. Since she had always only been interested in dueling, it was always embarrassing for her to use this card. The card’s picture of the little bride and groom figurines was bad enough, but the visual field effect had always been a great source of annoyance to her. To have to use this against Edo-the guy that just might end up being her new boyfriend-was too much. Asuka did not know what the creator of Duel Monsters had been thinking when he designed this card, but right now, she fervently wished that she could kick him for this.

“You won’t think it is so funny now when I activate its effect! I discard one spell card from my hand to add one light attribute ritual monster from my deck to my hand. Now, I activate my spell card, Sprite’s Blessing! By sending my level 8 monster to the graveyard, I use this card’s effect to ritual summon Cyber Angel Dakini  **(2700 Atk. 2400 Def.)** in attack mode! And now, I activate Cyber Angel Dakini’s effect! You must choose to send one monster that you control to the graveyard. Although I suppose that there isn’t much of a choice for you since you only have one monster. Cyber Angel Dakini, destroy Destiny HERO Decider!” Asuka said.

Edo’s monster blew up in an explosion of light, but he was ready for it. “I activate my trap card, Destiny Mirage! Since a Destiny HERO was destroyed by a card effect, I can now special summon it and any others that were sent to the cemetery this turn. So, welcome back, Decider!” He said as Decider returned to the field.

“You’re just stalling to buy yourself some time. But it won’t work! I activate Doble Passe’s second effect now! Etoile Cyber, attack him directly! When she attacks directly, Etoile Cyber gains 500 attack points!” Asuka said. Her monster soared through the air to deliver a swift kick to Edo, causing him wince as he lost life points.

“It’s about to get worse! Cyber Angel Dakini, attack Destiny HERO Decider!” Asuka commanded.

Instead of attacking, Cyber Angel Dakini simply stood there on the field, unable to move.

“Why isn’t she attacking!?” Asuka asked in confusion. She had a bad feeling about whatever was going on here.

“It’s Decider’s effect. Monsters that are level 6 or higher cannot target him for an attack. This means that all of your work to summon Dakini was for nothing!” Edo taunted Asuka.

_ Argh! No wonder he was so desperate to bring back Decider! He knew all along that I would try to use a high level monster!  _ Asuka thought to herself in frustration, realizing that once again, Edo had been one step ahead of her.

“I set one card facedown and-“ Asuka started to say.

“Wait! I activate my facedown card, the spell card, Cosmic Cyclone! By paying 1000 of my life points, I use its effect to banish your facedown card!” Edo interrupted.

Asuka watched as the trap card that she had just set, Hallowed Life Barrier, was banished from her field outside of the graveyard.

_ He waited until my last chance to set a card instead of just targeting Ritual Sanctuary. He probably figured that a facedown card would be more dangerous since Decider doesn’t have much to worry about with its effect protecting it from a lot of high level monsters.  _ Asuka reasoned to herself.

“Now look who’s being risky. You’ve lost a lot of life points now, Edo. And it is only a matter of time before I get rid of Decider with another monster. I end my turn.” Asuka said.

**Asuka- LP 2800 Edo- LP 1300**

“Life points are not everything. At least until they are gone, that is. A true professional like me knows that. I would not get excited about your lead if I were you. Trust me when I tell you that the worst is yet to come for you. It’s my turn. I draw!” Edo warned Asuka.

_ Perfect! Now the stage is set!  _ Edo thought to himself as he looked at the card that he had just drawn.

“I’m really sorry, but this duel is about to end now. I wish that we could have gone on longer, but I’ve just drawn the card that will ensure my victory. I play my field spell, Dark City!” Edo said as the field space around Ritual Sanctuary transformed itself into a towering nighttime city landscape.

Asuka gazed around the field nervously. She remembered all too well what Dark City’s effect was from watching Edo’s duel with Judai.

“Now, I summon Destiny HERO Celestial!  **(1600 Atk. 1400 Def.)** Come on! Next, I activate my facedown card, D-Chain! I’ll use it to give Decider 500 extra attack points. Decider, attack Cyber Angel Dakini! Since his attack points are lower than Dakini’s, Decider gains 1000 attack points when it attacks it thanks to Dark City’s effect. With that and D-Chain, Decider can now destroy your monster! And that’s not all! When a monster equipped with D-Chain destroys my opponent’s monster, they will lose 500 life points!” Edo said.

Asuka watched in horror as Cyber Angel Dakini was destroyed. If only she had been able to keep Hallowed Life Barrier!

“Now it’s time for the grand finale. Celestial, will attack you directly! But before that happens, I activate his effect to destroy one face-up spell card on your field, while causing you 500 points of damage. And of course, I choose to destroy your Ritual Sanctuary!” Edo said.

Asuka watched in a mix of horror and relief as Ritual Sanctuary’s wedding cake and chapel shattered into pieces in front of her from Celestial’s effect.

“It’s over. You never stood a chance against me, Asuka. But don’t worry. I will more than make up for this now that I have you right where I want you… Celestial, attack her directly!” Edo said triumphantly as he dealt the final blow.

Asuka yelled as she was knocked off her feet from the force of Edo’s attack.

**Asuka- LP 0 Edo- LP 1300 Winner- Edo**

_ I lost… But at least I feel better now for being able to go through with the duel and not being afraid of it. But now…  _ Asuka thought to herself, more than a little nervous about what was to come.

“Are you okay? Here, let me help you up.” Edo said kindly as he pulled Asuka to her feet.

“Thanks. That duel was…wow. I didn’t stand a chance.” Asuka said sheepishly.

“Most people don’t against me. But I will admit that that was one of the more enjoyable duels that I’ve had in some time.” Edo said with a smile.

_ What an ego. I’m going to at least try getting him to work on THAT.  _ Asuka thought to herself in annoyance.

“Yeah, it was a good duel.” Asuka admitted.

“I’m glad that you enjoyed it. Now, as per our agreement, I thought that we should keep it simple for a while and just hang out here for a while. And you don’t have to tell anyone right away that we’re seeing each other.” Edo said.

Asuka looked at Edo skeptically. “Is that what you would prefer? Keeping this secret for now?” She asked.

“Well… Since we didn’t start this in a normal way, I imagine that it would seem pretty strange to people that we had started dating after we had only spoken to each other once today. And it’s going to be a nightmare once the press hears about this. I thought that it would be more comfortable for you if we just had some time to ourselves to talk first before the whole world knows finds out about it.” Edo explained carefully.

Asuka felt even worse after hearing Edo’s explanation. She had almost forgotten about his celebrity status. Eyes from everywhere were always on him, and now she would be a part of the equation. Would television reporters start hounding her, too? And what Judai and the rest of her friends think once they heard about this. Not to mention her brother…

“I had almost forgotten about all of that. You’re right. It makes more sense to keep it secret for now. I certainly don’t mind that.” Asuka admitted ruefully.

“Good. Then why don’t you come over at about 6:00 tomorrow night? Does that work for you?” Edo asked.

“Sure. 6:00 is okay.” Asuka said.

“Okay, good. You can just let yourself in once you get there. I’ll leave the door open. So it’s a date!” Edo said with false cheeriness.

“Yeah...a date it is.” Asuka said with a nervous smile.

“Alright. I have to go now, but I’ll see you tomorrow, Asuka. I’m looking forward to it.” Edo said as he tried desperately to turn on all the charm he had.

“Okay, see you.” Asuka said as she turned and left, eager to escape before things became even more awkward.

_ Great! Just great! I’ve practically scared her to death with this. It’s like she sees a date with me as the equivalent to walking over a carpet of needles barefoot! I don’t know how long I can keep this up until she sees that I’m a fraud and I don’t even know what the hell I am doing! Saio better be right about this!  _ Edo thought to himself hopelessly.

(Note: I fudged the rules a bit here by making Ritual Sanctuary still remain on the field even after Dark City was activated. In the GX era, one field spell could only exist at a time, but I’m just pretending that we weren’t going by those rules back then just to make the duel easier.)

  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	4. Chapter 4

Asuka walked back to the Obelisk Blue girls’ dorm, deep in thought. Now that the duel with Edo was over, all she could think about was their upcoming date tomorrow night. She had never done anything like this in her life before and she was terrified.

_ What questions is he going to ask me!? What if he tries to hold my hand or touch me!? Or what if he wants us to…kiss!?  _ Asuka thought to herself frantically.

Pausing to calm herself down, Asuka reminded herself that Edo had specifically told her that he was not going to try to push her into doing anything that she did not want to do. So why was she still so worried?

Before Asuka had any more time to contemplate her situation, she heard a familiar voice up ahead.

“And that is when I saw him trying to break into our neighbor’s side door. I couldn’t let that happen, so I headed over there to beat that punk to a pulp. But it turns out that that wasn’t even necessary. As soon as I was in front of him, I gave him the iciest glare that you have ever seen, and he turned tail and ran before I even had the chance to clobber him! You see, they don’t call me the Blizzard Prince for nothing!” Asuka’s older brother, Fubuki, finished telling his tale to the star struck girl who was sitting next to him under a tree.

“That’s amazing, Fubuki-sama! You were a hero!” The girl said in awe.

Asuka had to suppress the urge to roll her eyes. It looked like her brother was up to his old tricks again. It was already bad enough that he seemed to have a different girlfriend for every day of the week. But she wasn’t going to just stand there while he spun another tall tale to impress this latest oblivious fan of his. It was time for her to step in.

“I think that you are forgetting to mention the part where the Blizzard Prince got cold feet and ran back inside the house.” Asuka said, causing Fubuki to practically fall over.

“Is that really true?” Fubuki’s girlfriend asked curiously.

“Ehh… I must have remembered that from another time…” Fubuki said sheepishly.

“But you did call the police after you went back inside, which led to the burglar’s arrest. And that is still pretty heroic. Just not nearly as exciting.” Asuka said with a small smile as she remembered the incident.

“So that means that you are still a hero! I knew it!” The girl said excitedly, her previous doubt already forgotten.

“Of course, I am! That just wasn’t one of my more exciting encounters. But don’t worry, I’ll tell you more about them next time, Midori! I’m afraid that I must take my leave now, though. My dear little sister is obviously missing me and in desperate need of some quality sibling bonding time.” Fubuki said exaggeratedly.

“Okay. See you tomorrow, then?” Midori asked hopefully.

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world, my dear!” Fubuki said, causing Midori to sigh with pleasure.

Asuka shook her head in exasperation after Midori had left. It was clear that this would be over in a day or two. And the worst part about it was that none of the girls her brother saw even seemed to care.

“Asuka! To what do I owe the pleasure of that unexpected interruption? Let me guess, you missed your big brother so much that you had to search the whole island just to find him!” Fubuki joked.

“Not really. I just happened to be passing by.” Asuka replied nonchalantly.

“So, how was class today? Anything interesting going on?” Fubuki asked casually.

“No. Not really.” Asuka answered a little too quickly.

Fubuki caught on quickly. “Oh? It looks like you’re hiding something! Let me guess, it’s a guy, isn’t it?” He teased with a knowing smile.

Asuka’s face turned bright red. “No way!” She exclaimed.

“Ah-ha! I knew it! Nice try, sis! But I’m an expert when it comes to predicting these matters, and it’s written all over your face! So, tell me. Who is the lucky guy!? Judai!? Or maybe even Manjome!?” Fubuki went on excitedly.

“I’m telling you right now that you are wrong, Onii-san! There is no guy! You’ve just gotten to the point where you assume this kind of thing all of the time thanks to all of your dates!” Asuka lied in frustration. There was no way that she was about to her brother about Edo, especially after they had agreed to keep this a secret for the time being.

“Okay, whatever. But you can’t hide this from me forever! If I’m right, I can’t wait to see who this mystery man is! He would have to really be something to get my scary little sister this flustered!” Fubuki said excitedly.

“That’s enough, Onii-san.” Asuka said firmly.

“Okay, okay! I know when I’m beat! But you do know that you can always talk to me about anything, don’t you?” Fubuki asked seriously.

“Yeah, I do.” Asuka replied warmly.

“Okay, then we’re all good. I’ve got to go now. I still haven’t finished all of my homework. I’ll see you around, Asuka!” Fubuki said cheerfully as he left in the other direction.

Asuka sighed in relief once her brother was gone. She knew that there would be no end to his teasing once he found out about Edo. But if he ever found out that she had gotten herself into this by losing a duel to him, Fubuki was sure to get angry at him. Despite his overly casual nature, her brother was fiercely protective of her.

_ I just hope that I can at least use this as an excuse to get Onii-san to stop bothering me about going on tour with him as singing idols. I’m going to be getting enough unwanted publicity with Edo once everyone finds out about this…  _ Asuka thought to herself glumly.


	5. Chapter 5

Edo paced nervously near the doorway leading to outside of his yacht. It was almost time for his scheduled date with Asuka, and he still didn’t feel prepared at all. Despite his popularity with the opposite sex, he had never been in a real relationship with a girl or even on a real date with one before. In a desperate attempt to prepare himself, he had even looked up dating tips online. However, he had quickly become frustrated with what he had read. Everything was about what to say to impress a girl, or how to initiate things like hand-holding or (even worse) kissing. The advice was useless because he wasn’t hoping to accomplish any of those things by dating Asuka. Basically, he was just trying to go along with this because of Saio’s prediction. Edo knew that he could have very well just have ignored everything Saio said altogether and not trapped Asuka into this charade at all with the duel. But since he had already seen firsthand how Saio’s predictions had a way of coming true whether he liked it or not, he had decided to just get the ball rolling as soon as he could instead of waiting around to see just  _ how  _ he would have ended up as Asuka’s boyfriend if he hadn’t dueled her for it. The very thought of it both intrigued and terrified him at the same time.

Before he had time to think anymore, Edo saw the front door open. Asuka stepped somewhat timidly into the entrance hall of the yacht. Her eyes darted briefly back and forth around room until she spotted Edo.

“Um… Hi. I hope I’m not late.” Asuka said awkwardly.

“No, you’re right on time, actually. I’m glad you came.” Edo said with a smile.

“Well, it’s not like I had much choice since I lost the duel. Not that I’m blaming you about it, though. It was my choice, after all.” Asuka said sheepishly.

“Thanks for saying that. Honestly, I did feel a bit guilty about that. That’s why I’m trying to make this as comfortable for you as possible. Like I said before, there’s no pressure here at all since we’re only getting to know each other. Whether or not we proceed to follow through with being a couple not just in name only is completely up to you, Asuka. I mean that.” Edo explained.

“Thanks, Edo. That’s a load off my mind right now, I’ll admit. So, I guess we this means we’re…friends?” Asuka asked hesitantly.

“Friends, huh? Yeah, I guess we are. But don’t think that I’m going to give up on trying for more than that for us.” Edo said with a grin, only just remembering to add that last part in to try to keep up the act.

Apparently, Edo was a better liar than he gave himself credit for. Asuka’s face heated up from his words.

“Why don’t we go to the kitchen so that we can talk more comfortably instead of just standing around here? That way I could get something for you to drink if you want. You are my guest after all.” Edo suggested.

“Alright.” Asuka agreed.

Xxx

“So, what would you like? Tea, coffee, or water? That’s all I’ve got, I’m afraid.” Edo offered. 

“Tea would be good, please.” Asuka decided. She was seated at the small wooden table in the kitchen while Edo rummaged around the cupboards next to the sink.

“Good, that’s what I was going to have, too. To tell you the truth, the coffee’s mostly only here for any potential guests. Tea is much better for you, although it has been said that coffee has a small chance of reducing the risk of Parkinson’s disease.” Edo stated casually.

“Really? I didn’t know that… You learn something new every day, I guess.” Asuka said in surprise, causing Edo to chuckle lightly.

Xxx

Once they were both seated across from each other with their tea, Asuka spoke up.

“I almost forgot about this earlier, but I meant to apologize to you, Edo. Since we met, I haven’t been addressing you very politely. I’m afraid that I’ve gotten so used to being less formal around Judai and the others that I forgot that I should be using some kind of honorific for you since it’s rude to not do so with someone unless they’re more intimate.” Asuka apologized.

“Oh? So, are you saying that you don’t want us to become more intimate with each other?” Edo suggested with a sly smile. He was teasing and he knew it, but he just couldn’t resist it this time.

“No! I mean, yes! No, wait. I mean, I-“ Asuka stuttered helplessly. Her face was redder than ever now.

“Relax, I was just teasing you. But don’t worry. I’m not offended by how you addressed me. I’m not usually referred to in other ways here, so just Edo is fine.” Edo reassured Asuka.

“Oh, that’s right. I almost forgot. You’re not Japanese.” Asuka said thoughtfully.

“That’s right. I’m American, actually. I spent a fair part of my childhood overseas in the states since my father worked for Industrial Illusions.” Edo explained.

“And then you came here once you started dueling?” Asuka asked.

“That’s right. But that doesn’t excuse me for not addressing you properly. Would you prefer for me to call you Asuka-san?” Edo asked politely.

“No, that’s alright. Since we’re going to be spending a lot of time together now, we don’t need to speak so formally. Just Asuka is fine.” Asuka insisted, echoing Edo’s words earlier. Edo noticed that she had a nice, easygoing smile as she said this.

“Well then, “Just Asuka”. Since you seemed to enjoy our duel today enough, may I ask where you think that enthusiasm could lead you in the future once you’ve graduated? Are you thinking of trying for the Pro Leagues yourself after graduation? I’d say you could at least make a good start of it.” Edo enquired.

“That’s kind of you to say that, but I don’t think that that would be for me anymore. At first, I was leaning more in that direction. But lately, I’ve actually been considering a teaching career when it comes to dueling.” Asuka confessed. She was surprised at how easy it was to talk to Edo about this. She realized only now that she hadn’t really gone into depth too much with Judai and the others when it came to this type of thing.

“Teaching about Duel Monsters and the game sounds nice. I’m no expert at doing that, but whenever I have events where I meet my fans, I do enjoy taking the time to give advice to kids and go over their decks with them when I can. When they tell me that I’ve helped them, it makes me feel like I’m doing one good thing in my career. But what made you change your mind about pro dueling?” Edo said.

“For now, let’s just say that I saw enough of the darker side of dueling last year and that that was enough to make me start rethinking my views on what it means to be a duelist for some. It’s sort of a long story for a first date, I’m afraid.” Asuka admitted.

“I can understand that. But I do hope that you’ll want to tell me more about it eventually.” Edo said. He already knew from his own reason for dueling that it wasn’t always used for fun and games.

Xxx

After they had talked a little longer, Asuka finally said that she needed to get back to her dorm to start on her homework for tonight if she wanted to get a good start. To Edo’s surprise, she hadn’t seemed to be in a big rush or relieved to finally end the date, and she sounded pleasant enough when she said goodbye for the night. And even more than that, he was surprised to find that he had genuinely enjoyed talking with her, despite the fact that this hadn’t even been a real date. Was this  _ supposed  _ to happen?


	6. Chapter 6

A week had passed since Edo had started “dating” Asuka. They were obviously still very much in the “getting to know each other” phase with asking and telling each other about the more casual details about themselves. Edo found himself not worrying as much about how to go about setting up the “romance” and just genuinely enjoying Asuka’s company. He didn’t normally tell other people about himself or try to get to know either. But Asuka didn’t pry or get overly excited like his fans usually did during his meet and greet events. She was curious and genuinely interested in hearing details about his life as a pro duelist and other career ventures of his. But the difference was that her interest was in hearing about  _ a  _ celebrity pro duelist’s lifestyle, not Edo Phoenix’s. It was easy and relaxing to talk to her, and for that, Edo was thankful. In the beginning, he had been worried that this whole arrangement would be awkward and uncomfortable for them both. But now, Edo felt like they could probably call themselves friends with how naturally the conversation was flowing between them right now.

One thing Edo had quickly discovered to be a surefire way to get any fast conversation between him and Asuka going was the subject of dueling. Whether it was about his pro league matches, the different decks he used and how he teched cards in, or how the divisions in the league worked in general with the different subdivisions and such. Asuka found it all endlessly fascinating. They had started watching videos of Edo’s duels and going over all their different decks and ideas for them. And he was always happy to listen to her talk about her duels and relate their experiences and give advice if she wanted it. One thing Edo was certain of was that Asuka had a passion for the game that rivaled his own.

Today like usual, Edo and Asuka were having another “date” on his yacht. He had decided to show her some of the computer simulation programs he used on occasion to train for his matches.

“Of course, it isn’t the same experience as dueling a real opponent since the AI programming hasn’t reached the level of being able to anticipate as many different situations yet. But I’ve found that this can still be quite good for practice when you just want to test out a new deck and you don’t have time to find a real opponent for whatever reason.” Edo explained as he showed the program to Asuka.

“Do you mind if I try it then?” Asuka asked.

“Sure; knock yourself out.” Edo replied.

“Okay, I’ll do my best.” Asuka said with a determined smile.

Once the game had started after Asuka had built her virtual deck, she quickly discovered that the computer-controlled opponents had access to more different types of powerful cards than she was normally used to seeing during one duel at school. After she had summoned a decent monster on her first turn, the computer immediately activated the spell card, Heavy Storm, to wipe out all her set trap cards. And then it immediately followed up with the Snatch Steal spell to take control of her monster. After two direct attacks from it and another monster, the computer set three cards facedown in the spell/trap zone and finally ended its turn.

“You’ve got to be kidding me…” Asuka said wryly.

“I’m afraid not. It also has Mirror Force, Penguin Soldier, Hane-Hane, Torrential Tribute, Jinzo, Lightning Vortex, among other things.” Edo said wryly.

“What!? No…” Asuka said in slight horror.

“Yup. They got all the goodies… But don’t worry. It’s not as bad as it sounds since the decks themselves aren’t very good. It’s just everything they have in-between that can be intimidating for people who aren’t used to it. But I can give you some pointers, if you like.” Edo said reassuringly.

“That would definitely help. I’m not used to dueling people who have all of these cards.” Asuka admitted ruefully.

For the next few minutes, Edo went over his strategy for dealing with the game. He taught Asuka about “flushing out the traps” whenever she didn’t have anything to remove them all from the field. Cards like Compulsory Evacuation Device and Book of Moon could help to rescue her monsters depending on what was used. Sometimes, it was even beneficial to only attack with one monster first and either wait until the end of the turn to bring another or leave the rest in defense position. The programming wasn’t advanced enough to think too far ahead and almost always activated cards whenever it could. So Asuka could take advantage of that to weed out an attack or summoning trap card. He also went over a few other details, like making sure to include a couple low-level monsters that could get rid of other ones with an effect.

“Keep in mind that these things aren’t always going to be enough on their own in real duels. If you get to the league, they won’t be using just the good staples like this. Everyone’s deck themes will be even better formed than what you are used to facing so far.” Edo cautioned.

“And that is what you deal with every time in your duels.” Asuka said thoughtfully.

“It can be very stressful if you’re not used to it. So, I don’t blame you for considering being a teacher instead.” Edo said.

“Well…I haven’t ruled it out completely yet. So, maybe studying how things work in the league by doing things like this will help me to make a decision.” Asuka said thoughtfully.

“I’ll have to take you to a real match one of these days. Since you’re with me, we could even hang out afterwards for awhile and talk to some of the other duelists.” Edo said.

“Really!? You mean I’d get a sort of “backstage pass”? That would be amazing, Edo!” Asuka said excitedly.

Edo couldn’t help smiling at Asuka’s reaction. The way her face had lit up as soon as he mentioned a chance to see more about real pro dueling was the same kind of enthusiasm he had seen from a lot of his and other duelists’ fans whenever they talked about the game to them. It wasn’t always about them being celebrities. There was a genuine love for dueling that shone through a lot of these people. And Asuka was one of them, too. He realized just how refreshing it was to spend time with a girl who was only truly interested in him as a duelist and not for his celebrity status and looks.

“Well, then I guess we have ourselves a date. But it might take a little time to find a good time for both of us while I’m dueling in town.” Edo said.

“Oh, you’re right. And then everyone will know about us…” Asuka trailed off somewhat apprehensively.

“Don’t worry. There’s no big rush. We still have plenty of time to get to know each other better before we tell anyone, if you want.” Edo said softly as he tried to reassure Asuka.

“Thanks, Edo. You’re right. I do still want to go. I guess I just sort of forgot that people will see us together. But I’ll handle it when the time comes.” Asuka said confidently.

“Glad to hear it. It would be fun to go with someone else to these occasionally. So, thanks, Asuka.” Edo said with a gentle smile. 

Asuka couldn’t help blushing a bit at Edo’s response. She didn’t know if he really liked her as much as he said. But seeing him that happy about her coming with him to one of his matches made her wonder if perhaps Edo had maybe just been a little lonely all this time. Basically, his career didn’t allow for much free time, so this had to be quite a change for him. She had a feeling that she just might end up seeing more sides to Edo than she knew existed the more things they did together like this. And for the first time, Asuka realized that she actually wanted to after seeing that smile that he gave her…


	7. Chapter 7

Asuka, Junko, and Momoe walked down the hallway of the Obelisk Blue girls’ dorm, chatting amiably. Classes had ended a few hours earlier, so they were on their way back to their rooms to get some of their homework finished before dinner.

Once they reached the door to Asuka’s room, the trio stopped short. Nestled in front of the door was a large bouquet of red roses wrapped in fancy, expensive-looking paper.

“Oh, my gosh! These are absolutely gorgeous!” Momoe squealed excitedly at the sight of the flowers.

“Asuka-sama, who sent you these!? Is there something you aren’t telling us?” Junko asked suspiciously.

“Of course not. Don’t be ridiculous. It’s probably just Manjome again. You know him; he never learns.” Asuka said exasperatedly.

“Well, don’t keep us in suspense! Read the tag on it. That should tell us who sent these.” Junko urged.

Sighing wearily to herself, Asuka picked up the flowers and read the writing on the tag. It was typed, so she couldn’t even hope to recognize any familiar handwriting. And the message itself didn’t identify the sender either. It simply read:  _ You’ll know who this is from. _

_ It’s Edo!  _ The realization dawned on Asuka. She didn’t know  _ how  _ she knew exactly. But somehow, she could just hear the words on the card being said in his voice.

“Come on, spill! Who is it from!?” Momoe demanded, breaking Asuka out of her thoughts.

Switching to what she hoped was a neutral expression, Asuka held the card out for Momoe and Junko to read. “You see? Like I said, it’s Manjome. He’s always reminding me that he hasn’t stopped carrying the torch for me.” She lied.

“I guess it makes sense. But isn’t Manjome-kun in that weird organization now? I don’t know, but lately he just doesn’t seem as interested in anything else anymore…” Junko said thoughtfully.

“Yeah! If it is him, I’m surprised he didn’t give you white roses since he got the whole dorm painted in that color!” Momoe said exasperatedly.

Asuka frowned slightly at the reminder of Manjome’s more recent behavior. While he did still resemble himself from before in some ways, it was true that the Society of Light had basically taken over his life at this point. But she didn’t want to blow her cover about Edo.

“You’re right. But I just can’t think of anyone else I know that could have sent this…” Asuka lied.

“Knowing how over half the guys around here are delusional to think that you would actually know who they are just from some vague encounter where you probably didn’t even talk to them, I’d say it could be just about anyone here if you think of it that way.” Junko admitted reluctantly.

“But if anything can narrow it down though, I’d say there’s a good chance it’s an Obelisk. Flowers like this don’t come cheap, so whoever bought them probably has more of a budget to work with, and that is more likely to come with being a Blue.” Momoe guessed.

“Well, whoever it is, I’m not interested.” Asuka said firmly. But a tiny part of her wondered if she was being completely truthful with herself when it came to Edo.

Xxx

Asuka watched the TV screen vaguely as two duel monsters clashed against each other, exploding into bursts of pixels as they were both destroyed at the same time. Edo had tons of Pro League match videos, and one of their favorite activities after school was watching and analyzing them together. While she was pretty sure she wasn’t sold on becoming a pro duelist, it was still fun and informative nonetheless to watch all the different duels. Asuka found that it was easier to talk with Edo about dueling than her other friends since she discovered that he had strategized in much the same fashion as herself.

Edo glanced at Asuka out of the corner of his eye. She looked completely relaxed and focused on the video right now, so he wasn’t sure if he should bring up the fact that he had sent her the flowers. It was so easy just to talk about dueling or other casual topics with her. But he knew that he had to play up the whole romance angle if he ever wanted to find out if Saio’s prediction led him anywhere that was beneficial to his future. A part of him hated himself for deceiving Asuka like this. She was a nice girl and he genuinely enjoyed her company. And with what he had heard about Saio and this whole Society of Light business, Edo wondered if he should even trust him at all anymore? But in the end, he couldn’t help himself. If this path led him to a greater destiny that led him to finding his father’s murderer and growing as a duelist, he would continue to follow it. But deep down, he knew it wasn’t just because of that. It was an excuse to spend time with Asuka and he didn’t want to lose that. Who knew how long she would stick around if she didn’t feel obligated to go along with the whole dating charade?

“Um, Edo?” Asuka asked tentatively.

“What’s wrong?” Edo asked cautiously. He had been so far gone in his own thoughts that he hadn’t even realized that Asuka had been trying to get his attention.

“Nothing really. It’s just…the flowers I got today. Um, those were from you, weren’t they? The tag said I’d know who they were from.” Asuka questioned somewhat nervously.

Edo smiled in relief. This saved him the trouble of bringing up the flowers himself. The last thing he wanted to look like was that he was trying too hard to win her over.

“So, you guessed it was me. I admit, I was hoping you’d get my hint. Yup, those were from me. I wanted to see if you would assume that at this point. But more importantly, I just wanted to do something nice for you.” Edo explained while putting on what he hoped was his most charming smile.

Asuka felt her face heat up at Edo’s words. “Well, I figured you would be considerate enough not to give yourself away where people could find out about us. I appreciate that a lot. And it just…seems like something you would say, somehow. I don’t know. I guess you do give off a more mysterious vibe when you want to.” She said, trying to explain herself as best as she could.

Edo chuckled a bit at Asuka’s reasoning. “I do try to make things more interesting when I can. Can’t say for sure that I succeeded with the actual gift itself, though. Did you like it?” He said.

“Oh, um, yes! I did. They’re really nice. Thank you, Edo.” Asuka said a bit hurriedly. This whole conversation felt like the strangest thing she had ever experienced. She had never thought that she would be having it with a boy, ever.

“That’s good. I was worried that they would seem kind of boring. You know, with red roses being used so much already. But if I had asked you beforehand what your favorite flower was, that might have given my plans away.” Edo admitted ruefully. He realized that he was surprised by the fact that he actually  _ was  _ worried about what Asuka thought of his gift choice.

“They weren’t boring! It’s just that I’ve never even really thought about what kinds of flowers I might like best… I guess maybe I’ve always just been more focused on whatever things I’ve been doing to notice things like that around me. It’s easier for me to do better that way.” Asuka admitted. Even though she felt like she was realizing this for the first time, she knew that it was true. Whether it was dueling, studying, sports or some other extracurricular activity, or finding her brother, her focus had always been laser-like. Fubuki had always teased her about being a tomboy because of this, but maybe she had just always felt the need to push herself to do her best in everything she took on.

“I understand. I’ve felt like that for a long time myself now…” Edo admitted quietly. Ever since his father died, he had thrown himself into his goals. Dueling, sports, education. It was all a path towards avenging his father. And because of that, Edo had taken less chances to truly stop and enjoy the world around him as much as he used to as a child. His reasoning was different from Asuka’s, Edo still felt like he could relate to her. They both had a similar competitive drive that kept them going.

For a moment, Asuka and Edo just stared at each other, not knowing what to say. Then, Edo finally came to his senses and broke the silence. “Well, if you don’t know what your favorite flowers are, there’s one way I can fix that. We’ll have to visit a good garden somewhere in the city sometime. That might help you decide. After all, I think it’s high time we started doing more things together.” He said, deciding it was now or never to try suggesting they take a step further into their “relationship”.

“You mean, you think we’re ready to start going public?” Asuka asked carefully. The idea made her feel both nervous and excited at the same time.

“Yes, I do. I want to spend more time with you, Asuka. It’s our chance to finally start seeing more of what we haven’t always been noticing all this time. We don’t have to jump into everything immediately. We can just take one step at a time. Like by going to school together tomorrow. What do you say?” Edo suggested. And he wasn’t just trying to follow through with the act either. This newest realization they had about each other along with how much he already enjoyed her company was enough to make Edo really want to start learning more about Asuka. To see how she reacted to things and other people, what she liked and disliked. For the first time in a long while, Edo realized that he had met someone that truly interested him as a person.

Asuka looked thoughtful. “I suppose this was going to happen sometime. I admit, I am a little nervous about the reaction we’ll face. Even just at school, people can be so irritating… But all the same, I’m ready to try now. Like you said, we’ll start with one thing at a time. So, okay. We can start going to school together. We don’t exactly have the same classes, but we can walk there and back together and hang out during breaks. It’ll be fun. And I’m sure Judai and the others will be glad to see more of you too, Edo. I’m not sure how my brother will react to this, though…” She said, weighing everything out.

“Oh, I’m sure he won’t be upset once I explain everything. Didn’t you know? I can be very persuasive.” Edo joked.

_ No kidding. I still can’t believe he even managed to talk me into all this straight from the duel… _ Asuka thought to herself wryly. But at the same time, she couldn’t help smiling at the thought.

  
  
  



End file.
